American Landscape Paintings--3rd/4th Grade

 American Landscapes  The 3/4s learned about Colonial times and Westward Expansion.  The students watched a video about American landscape artists during the 19th century and they painted their own landscapes.  One of the goals was to use inspiration from the environment to create a painting.  The students chose a landscape scene from pictures of America.  Painting lessons include how to add texture with a fan brush, how to mix colors and how to add shadows on a mountain.

I showed them my painting of a rolling hills landscape and demonstrated how I created those textures through sponges, fan brushes and using the edges of a flat brush.  

Third/Fourth grade Landscapes

 American Landscapes  The 3/4s learned about Colonial times and Westward Expansion.  The students watched a video about American landscape artists during the 19th century and they painted their own landscapes.  One of the goals was to use inspiration from the environment to create a painting.  The students chose a landscape scene from Wisconsin or a state they have visited.   Painting lessons include how to add texture with a fan brush, how to mix colors and how to add shadows on a mountain.

Week Update

Well, I haven't updated since this past Sunday, so I will briefly tell you what I've been up to..  parent-teacher conferences were on Tuesday.  We are in the middle of various projects... monochromatic rhythm paintings (which are awesome and I will share with you later)...  Rainbow Fish paintings, bird paintings, American landscape paintings.. wow, I guess we are doing a lot of paintings now.  The 4/5s are doing a mosaic/fresco project which I will show you when we are further along.  And the 5/6s have been working on these awesome Medieval paper mache knight sculptures.  We start with a newspaper armature, without the head.  The armature is built around a wood base with a dowel rod.  Then paper mache is applied over it.  Then, the full figure is painted a neutral-ish color.  Next, a head is made with model magic and later painted.  Clothes are added with felt, leather and fabric.  These are mostly tied and glued on.  Weapons are made from all sorts of materials.  Hair can be painted on or added with yarn or furry material, or even molded with model magic.  There is a lot of leeway for how the knight can be constructed.  Most of the kids are not finished yet, but here is one done by a student who has already given it away to her grandma for a present.  I will show you more when more are finished.